San Francisco Giants fans are a loyal bunch that will go to great lengths to support their beloved team. A case in point was when the Giants World Series trophy first came to Mount Shasta in March of 2011.

The trophy was here as part of a tour that went to different California cities to give fans a chance to see the trophy won in the 2010 World Series. Nick Zanotto, the Inside Sales and Services Manger for the Giants and a 1999 Weed High School graduate said that the day the trophy came the weather was blizzard like. Not a lot of people would venture out in weather like this, but there were more than 200 brave souls who made it out to see the trophy.

It proved that a little old blizzard wouldn't keep Giants fans away from supporting their team.

Zanotto said that the Giants fans have always been quite the passionate group and him and others in the organisation love having a fan base like this. That's why Zanotto was ecstatic to be back in Siskiyou County again on Saturday. The Giants organization brought the 2010 trophy along with the 2012 trophy won last October, The trophy is again travelling throughout California and other areas to give fans a chance to have their picture taken with the trophies.

When I came around 20 minutes before the event began at the Upper Lodge at the Mount Shasta City Park, there was already a good sized line of fans ready to take photos with the two trophies. Although it was a decent sized line, the mood was festive as fans chatted with one another and talked about their team. Pretty much everyone had on their Giants gear and the excitement was definitely palpable.

I found it quite commendable that the Giants came to a small city like Mount Shasta to give fans up here in Siskiyou County a chance to see the trophies. Zanotto told me that the trophies are going to cites that have Junior Giants programs in place. Mount Shasta has participated in the program since 1995.

It was a blast to see the fans, the majority wearing Giants gear, from young children to seniors enjoying the event. One Giants fan I met was Margo Smitt of McCloud who is 91 yars old and a longtime Giants fan. She told me about her told me about her pasison for the Giants and how much it mean to her to see the trophies and take her photo with them. Even four legged friends got into the act when Walt, a beagle, whippet mix came with his owner, Brian Witherell of Mount Shasta. And, of course, Walt was decked out in Giants clothing.

It was a day these fans will not soon forget. It was a blast to have the honor to cover this event for the paper. One thing that I love about sports in the passion of the fans. Through thick and thin the loyalty they have displayed has always impressed me. These Giants fan excitement was a sight to behold.

Page 2 of 2 - For Giants fans who missed out on Saturday's event the trophies will be shown in Medford, Ore., on March 26.

Tragedy at Weed

High School

On a somber note, Josh Oates, a sports stringer for the Daily News, covered Friday night's Weed High School basketball games for the Monday paper. Early Friday morning, junior Lavanial Williams was fatally shot while visiting family members in Marin City in the Bay Area.

After a memorial assembly and a meeting of players and coaches, Oates wrote in his story that the player's and coaches decided that the teams would play to honor their friend.

Despite the horrible sense of loss the school and the players were feeling, the basketball teams went out and earned three-out-of four wins. The JV and varsity girls team and the varsity boys won their games. Oates wrote about banners honoring Lavanial hanging at the games and players decorating their shoes with messages in remembrance of their fallen friend. Oates, a teacher at Weed High School, said that it was quite a difficult day at the school on Friday,

"I didn't have Lavanial in class this year, but I talked with him often and he always had a smile on his face and was very respectful to me," Oates wrote to me. "His presence will be missed by all of the Cougars."

My condolences go out to Lavanial's family and to everyone at the high school who is grieving. It was heartwarming to hear about how the school honored Lavanial and the way the basketball teams went out and played well despite the loss.

Again, thanks to Josh for his story on the game. It gave me and Daily News readers a glimpse of how well Weed High School and the basketball teams handled this tragedy.